I know I've mentioned it a few times, but my first game ever was that infamous '93 BC game where we overlooked the Eagles after beating #1 FSU the week before. Going into this game now after beating Clemson last weekend...
I remember it well. I was in college and living in a duplex w/ two friends & our duplex neighbor was a good friend, too. This was an event type game for us. FSU was the sexy newcomer to the national stage & known for not being able to get past Miami (wide right, wide left). They were attracting a national fans base after being a successful independent but this wast their first year in the ACC.
We filled my neighbor‘s apartment up w/ friends (mostly fraternity brothers). IIRC, I was the ONLY one rooting for the Irish. How sweet it was and seemed like ND would win comfortably. The score was still deceiving IMO but a win is a win. I think that moment (knowing everyone was against my Irish) gave me that chip on my shoulder that I’m not proud of (I’m seeing a Buddhist about it...LOL) as an adult. Combine that w/ my Lou Holtz sandbagging (“We don’t have a prayer to compete w/ this team”) and it took some joy out of watching.
The following week was like a hangover in every sense. No big gatherings as most CFB fans acknowledged ND would ride out their string before the bowl game for the natty. I was in my part of the duplex alone watching BC jump out to a big lead. Then Kevin McDougal rallied them back to go ahead in the 4th quarter. Then...David Fucking Gordon! I could hear my buddies in the adjoining duplex cheering & giving me hell (the whole nation was probably tuning in at this point).
Afterwards, a few points were made (one of them meaningless IMO) about how serious fans, players & maybe even coaches take big games vs trap games. During FSU week, the Grotto was jam packed w/ candles (I know, God doesn’t care who wins football games). The following week (for BC), there may have been ten total. In 1992, ND blew out BC 50-something to 7 (IIRC). Holtz notoriously called for a fake punt late in the game when it was well in hand for the Irish. Afterwards, he claimed he wanted to run it to give his following week’s opponent something to game plan for. Needless to say, Boston College didn’t forget.
That ‘93 BC team was a good team. Still ND had no business losing to them. They had a future NFL QB & a solid defense. I was still confident if ND beat TAMU in the bowl game that we’d get split polls and a share of the NC w/ FSU (who eked by Nebraska in their bowl).
One of the theories why the AP nor the Coaches Poll awarded ND a share was recounted in a great book called “Talking Irish” where players were interviewed about their time playing at ND and the coach they played for. When it got to the portion of the book where the aftermath of 1993 was discussed, the thought was that the media (& probably the coaches) were tired of hearing Lou poor mouth his team each week regardless of opponent to the point that it insulted the intelligence of any CFB fan or media member w/ a brain. I got a kick out of it & sadly still employ it (I know....like I said, I’m working on it). But this time the consensus was “well Lou’s always telling us that his team isn’t as good as team x, y or z...let’s take his word for it and award him #2).
You also have to factor in the media’s pre-season mindset that this was going to finally be Bobby Bowden’s year. He was their darling & probably got sympathy for losing those heartbreakers to the U every season.
The learned ND fan remembers well the hypocrisy of the polls between 1989-1993. Remember in 1988, ND ran the table w/ one of the toughest schedules in CFB history to go undefeated against. So the media had to anoint the Irish champs whether they wanted to or not (I’m not suggesting there was a bias in 1988 b/c Lou was still in rebuild mode & a great story).
But in 1989 ND dominated their schedule again...until...they went down to the OB for a rematch w/ the U. Holtz made huge mistake w/ his team. He was embarrassed about what went on pre-game in 1988 & was going to make sure it didn’t happen again knowing Miami would be salty for revenge. He preached about showing restraint, etc. That basically de-fanged his players and they showed it on the field as they were more passive than usual. ND lost. The game was closer than the score indicated but ND still had no one to blame but themselves w/ passive play & turnovers. Nonetheless, ND had a blemish on their schedule but would still get a chance to knock off #1 Colorado in the bowl game. They did just that and for their trouble were awarded a #2 ranking while Miami slipped up to #1 for the natty.
So...in summary: ND is #1 in 2nd to last game in 1989 where they visit #7 Miami (who lost by 14 to FSU earlier in season). Miami wins by 17 and jumps to #2 in the polls behind CU. Both ND & Miami win their respective bowls (Miami beat lower ranked Bama in Sugar; while ND knocked off top-ranked CU in Orange). Despite ND knocking off #1, Miami is awarded the NC despite Lou claiming ND deserved it. Reverse the roles in 1993 & this time the Irish are again at the mercy of the pollsters who use the opposite logic of 1989 and award FSU the natty.
Youngsters, the CFP is far from perfect but be glad we are no longer at the mercy of the AP poll b/c media (whether it be sports, entertainment or news) is run by humans & try as they might to be neutral...they typically fail.
